(NaturalNews) Clear skin is a priority for many people since the condition of the skin reveals a lot about the health of the person; and therefore, beautiful skin is naturally attractive. Because health is revealed on the outside, having skin problems can really affect a person`s self image; hence the term "feeling comfortable in one`s own skin". As the fall and winter months approach, skin can become dry and flaky. This condition is exacerbated through the use of soaps made with synthetic chemicals. Finding an organic plant-oil based soap is a cheap and easy way to transition your skin care regimen from conventional to organic products.
One of my favorite body soaps is also one that`s widely available. Dr. Bronner`s Pure-Castile Soap is an excellent, multi-purpose organic product that is available in both liquid and bar form. The bar soaps are gentle enough to use on the body daily and can even be used on the face by those with oily skin. Generally, I find that natural bar soaps tend to be more moisturizing than liquid soaps.
The company in its current form, Dr. Bronner`s Magic Soaps, was formed in 1948 and is celebrating its 60th Anniversary. The Bronner family is celebrating 150 years of soap making tradition, which started in southern Germany and came to America in 1929 when Emanuel Bronner brought his family`s soap making process to Escondido, California. The soaps enjoyed a small following at first and soared in popularity during the 1960`s as people began to recognize the value in using a high-quality all natural cleanser.
These high-quality natural ingredients include:* Water
* Saponified Organic Coconut, Organic Palm, and Organic Olive Oils
* Organic Hemp Oil
* Organic Jojoba Oil
* Essential Oils (the type of essential oil depends on the soap scent)
* Citric Acid
* Vitamin E
The soaps are available in Peppermint, Lavender, Almond, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Unscented Baby-Mild, Rose and Citrus Orange. The great thing about these products is that they are purely vegetable based and won`t irritate the skin. The soaps are also biodegradable and made with fair-trade ingredients. Even the packaging is "green" -- the liquid soaps come in 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) cylinder bottles and paper labels; the bar soaps come wrapped in 10% hemp / 90% PCR paper.
The secret to making a great soap is in creating the "perfect" lather. With natural soaps, getting the right process consists of choosing the best proportion of oils with their fatty acids. The lather in most natural soaps come from the saponification of either one or all of the following bases: Coconut oil, olive oil, and/or palm oil. When this process is perfected, the lather is velvety and very smooth. Conventional soaps mostly achieve this using man made surfactant chemicals combined with tallow from beef fats -- very little coconut or palm oil is used.
These chemicals, called anionic surfactants, are found in conventional soaps:* Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
* Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES)
* Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate (ALS)
* Ammonium Laureth Sulphate (ALES)
* Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
* Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
* Potassium Coco Hydrolysed Collagen
* Triethanolamine (TEA) Lauryl Sulphate
* TEA Laureth Sulphate
* Disodium Oleamide Sulfosuccinate
* Disodium Dioctyl Sulfosuccinate
Many of these industrial strength chemicals are also used as lubricants for engines, garage floor cleansers, and degreasers. It is best to avoid these chemicals as they are known to cause adverse side-effects.
Some of these side-effects include:* Sinus infections
* Asthma
* Dizziness
* Nausea
* Fatigue
* Eczema
* Rashes
* Migraines
I`ve used Dr. Bronner`s liquid soaps and found them to be more drying than the bar soaps. The one liquid soap that doesn`t dry out skin when used as a body wash is the peppermint soap. The bar soaps are very moisturizing and I highly recommend them.
These soaps can be purchased at most health food stores as well as online at (
www.drbronner.com) . Dr. Bronner`s Castile Soaps are vegan products and aren`t tested on animals.
Look beautiful naturally!
References:
(
http://www.herbalserenity.com.au/archive/skincare-products-toxic-chemicals.html)
(
http://www.hallgold.com/toxic-chemical-ingredients-directory.htm)
(
http://www.drbronner.com)
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Bronner)
About the author
Natural Beauty Expert and Fashionista, Aria Milan is a passionate researcher in all things that will bring out the natural beauty in people. She practices what she preaches and is always striving to look and feel her best and her goal is to help others do the same. Her philosophy is 'True Beauty comes from Health that radiates from within'.
Aria is currently the editor of an alternative news website called Apollo News Daily, which can be viewed at
www.apollonewsdaily.com .
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